YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Youngstown State University’s jazz ensemble held its first concert of the academic year Monday night.
Around 100 people watched the free concert at YSU’s Bliss Hall. The 18-piece band opened the night with the Thad Jones song “Back Bone.”
The jazz ensemble has been under the direction of Dr. Kent Engelhardt for 33 years. Some of the musicians are majoring in Jazz studies, while others are music education or music performance majors.
“So they do a variety of different things for degrees but we all come together in our group and jazz is our thing,” said Dr. Engelhardt.
The YSU jazz ensemble will play three more times between now and Nov. 25 at Bliss Hall and then four times next semester between Feb. 17 and April 21.